Blog Archives

No-kill strategies for getting rid of mice

12/22/2021

Here’s a good article on how to keep mice out of your home or get rid of them humanely if they do enter your home. Using steel wool to plug potential entrances into your house is very effective, as we know from personal experience. The article also points out that using glue traps allows the animals to suffer and using poison can endanger other birds or animals, so these are not good options.

https://earth911.com/home-garden/5-no-kill-strategies-for-getting-rid-of-mice

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Clothes dryer fixes

12/15/2021

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The article at the link below has a lot of good information on making your clothes-drying appliance more efficient and performing some simple repairs if needed. The article includes information such as the reduction (15% for each 90-degree bend) in efficiency from bends in the exhaust vent tubing that leads to the outside of your house. Also, lint can clog the lint filter, reducing dryer efficiency, but a lot of lint can also build up in the lint filter housing and reduce the dryer’s efficiency. The link in the article leads to a YouTube video on how to clean the housing. The video also explains why anti-static dryer sheets are bad for your dryer (they coat the filter and the inside of the dryer with a waxy substance).

https://earth911.com/diy/fix-it-guy-dryer-doesnt-dry-the-clothes-3-easy-fixes

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Glitter

12/10/2021

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Glitter is a popular way to decorate many things. As we all have noticed, unconfined glitter easily spreads throughout your home, business, or school and is difficult to clean up. Glitter in the environment, especially lakes, streams, and oceans, is a bigger problem. Glitter is plastic, and is small enough to be considered a microplastic. Microplastics are dangerous to sea life, who may eat the microplastics thinking they are food. Glitter in the ocean may also collect harmful chemicals, which adhere to the plastic surface and can lead to bioaccumulation of harmful chemicals in the food chain. The article at the link below has more information on glitter and microplastic pollution. A few thoughts on dealing with glitter:

Don’t buy products with plastic glitter.
If glitter comes into your life on an item you receiver from a friend or relative, don’t wash ithe glitter down the sink, because it is much more likely to end up a river, lake, or ocean. If you send glitter to the landfill with your trash, put the glitter inside of something else so it’s unlikely to escape in the journey to the landfill.
Look for other ways to decorate. Be creative in reusing or repurposing items to create beauty.
Some companies are manufacturing biodegradable glitter. Check to make sure it’s a reputable company.

https://ideas.ted.com/5-things-to-know-about-glitter-and-plastic-pollution

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Travel

12/1/2021

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Some forms of travel have become more complicated due to the covid pandemic, and more safety precautions are required to protect your health. While you are planning your travel, also consider actions you can take to reduce your environmental impact when you travel.

Don’t take a lot of items you don’t need. Plan clothing that can serve multiple needs so you take fewer items. It takes more energy to move a heavier load, regardless of the mode of transportation.
Evaluate a variety of ways to get to your destination. Some travel methods may have a greater impact on the environment than others, but it’s not easy to find good comparisons. Use information sources that have been recently updated. I found several 2015 articles that said air travel was “greener” than driving and several 2019 and later articles that said driving is “greener” than air travel. The answer will depend on a lot of factors including the distance to be traveled. Carpools and public transportation such as buses and trains are always a good idea.
When possible, select lodging close to the areas you want to enjoy and walk or use public transportation if possible.
Leave the area as you found it. Don’t pick wildflowers. Don’t take home a rock from a national park. Don’t litter. Don’t walk off the trail in sensitive areas.
Take your reusable water bottle.
When purchasing souvenirs to take home, buy a few meaningful items rather than a lot of items that you will no longer want in a few months.

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